Importance

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Abstract

Two preferred embodiments of an improved refrigerant recovery system and method for recovering refrigerant from a separate system are disclosed whereby the first embodiment utilizes a closed-loop refrigeration system employing a portable storage tank to recover refrigerant from a separate system that needs to be serviced. The first embodiment recovers refrigerant from the separate system by placing a storage tank within an evaporator that is cooled by evaporator coils and evacuated by a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump is valved off and recovered refrigerant is directed to the storage tank from the separate system. None of the recovered refrigerant contacts the compressor of the recovery system and vacuum pump. An alternative to the first embodiment provides a booster pump in-line with the storage tank and the separate system for transferring any residual refrigerants into the storage tank. The second preferred embodiment includes a portable storage tank located within an insulation device and a number of other conventional components including a compressor, condenser, valves and an expansion device. This system employs two phases whereby during phase 1 primarily liquid refrigerant is directed to the storage tank which enhances the life of the compressor because contaminated liquid refrigerants are not subjected to the compressor. Once all of the liquid has been recovered from the separate system and a predetermined pressure is reached in the storage tank, phase 2 is activated whereby primarily recovered gas is directed through the compressor and eventually dumped into the cooled storage tank. Because of this unique arrangement, refrigerants can be recovered from separate systems at much faster rates then conventional refrigerant recovery systems. An alternative to this second embodiment provides a unique fluid sensor which improves the efficiency of the recovery system by automatically activating phase 2 when all of the liquid refrigerant has been recovered from the separate system and when the storage tank is at a predetermined pressure.

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First Claim